Distinguishing Geographic Strains of the Aedes atropalpus Group (Diptera: Culicidae) by Analysis of Enzyme Variation

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Abstract
Enzyme variation was compared in the 4 taxa of the Aedes atropalpus Group. Average heterozygosity over the 17 loci examined was low (3–10%), reflecting the inbreeding effects of colonization. Genetic distance (Nei's) between Aedes atropalpus and A. epactius was 0.45 or greater with 5 loci discriminating between the species. To a lesser degree, the 3 strains of A. epactius from different parts of its range were also genetically distinguishable. Specimens from a new habitat (discarded tires) outside the range of both species were morphologically A. atropalpus, but showed some behavioral characters of A. epactius. These specimens were positively identified as A. atropalpus based on discriminating enzyme phenotypes.
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